Hie am parks



H. PARKS;

Straw Cutter.

N0. 70,891; "Patented Nov. 12,1867

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HIRAM PARKS, or ATHENS, NEW. YORK. Letters Patent No. 70,891, dated November 12, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HIRAM PARKS, of Athens, in the. county of Greene, and. State of New York, have invented a new and improved Straw-Cutter; and I do hereby declare that the -following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionof my improved straw-cutter.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a straw-cutter, in which a curved knife is used, and is secured to a revolving shaft, so as to'make a drawing out, and so as to cut a'whole bundle of straw with the same facility with which the usual machines cut a small quantity. Aratohet-har is used for afeed-bar, and is provided with teeth similar to arake at its front end, and rests with the rear end upon a pin which is secured to an oscillating vertical lever. When the upper end of this lever moves forward, it carries the feed-bar along, while, when it moves back, it does not affect the motion of the bar.

A represents theframe and B the box of a-straw-cutter, which are both made in the usual manner. 0 is the horizontal driving-shaft arranged transversely below the box B, and mounted in suitable bearings that are arranged in the frame A. By means of bevel-gearing D, motion is conveyed from the shaft 0 to a horizontal shaft,

E, which'extends to the front of the machine, and is mounted in bearings that are arranged i-n'the frame A, as

shown. On the front end of this shaft is'mounted a fiy-wheel, F, and to the spokes of the latter are secured horizontal pins a projecting toward the box 13. To these pins is secured a curvilinear knife, G, which is so arranged as to sweep close in front of the box vB. .Theshape of this ,knifeis such that the inner or cutting edge of the same forms an eccentric curve partly around the shaft E. i The point of the knife is farthest from the shaft, and is so arranged that it will be drawn through the straw even if the same should fill the box B to the top. The drawing out obtained by this form of revolving knife is greatly superior to that which is obtained by the drop-knives now generally used. It is obvious that, if desired, two or more such curvilinear cutters may be arranged on one machine around the shaft E. A metal plate, ii, is arranged outside of the knife, and in front of the box B, to facilitate the cutting, and to prevent the straw from being bent down by the cutter. instead of being out. To a crank 0n the driving-shaft G, or otherwise eccentric to the latter, is pivoted a lever,'H, that extends back, and the rear end of'whieh is connected to the lower end ofa vertical lever, I, as shown in fig. 1. The latter is pivoted to the rear of the box B, and is by the motion of-the shaft 0 oscillated around its axis e. The upper end of this lever may be bifurcated so as to hold a horizontal pin, b, upon which the notched feedbar K rc'sts, as shown. The front end of this bar is provided with a cross-head,'f, on which teeth or 'fingers c are secured, which are put into the straw, and then as soon as the upper end of the lover I swings toward the front the bar K will he pushed ahead, as then the pin 6 strikes hgainst the vertical faces of the notches on the said bar K, and thus the straw will be fed forward. When the upper end of the lever swings back, the pinb will more below the inclined'faces of thefbar K, and will 'notafl'ect the position of the latter. A crank, L, on the shaft C, is used to set the machine in motion. The lever Iis perforated with a series of holes, so that the. pin 6 may be set higher or lower, whereby the feed may be regulated.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is

The notched feed-bar K, when provided at its front with teeth, in combination with the pin on the oscillating lever I, all made and operating substantially as herein shown and described. I

HIRAM PARKS.

Witnesses:

Howann 0. SMITH, N. P. Van Loan. 

